Stepping Into the Breach: Speaking Up for Political Independence

The disparity between the high number of self-described independents among the American public and the dearth of independent voices in government and media is among the most glaring political contradictions in the United States today.  Of course, there is no lack of professional Democrats and Republicans who describe themselves as "independent."  And the same can be said of their lackeys in the mainstream media.  But, truth be told, if you have not liberated yourself from the ideology that maintains and sustains the reigning two-party state and duopoly system of government, if you still support the Republican and Democratic parties in their ongoing consolidation of political and economic power to the benefit of the ruling corporate-political class, you are not an independent.  You are an enabler of the corporate-political class in their ongoing war of attrition against the people of the United States and against the very existence of constitutional, representative government in this country. 

The lack of truly independent voices in our public discourse is too obvious to ignore.  And the longer the situation continues, the more likely we are to see individuals stand up and step into the breach.  Consider John Chaffee, for instance.  Chaffee is an independent singer-songwriter who has just launched a new website entitled Independent Lion.    In its description of "Who We Are," the site addresses political Independents while calling out the machine politics of the Republican and Democratic parties:

There's a growing segment of the population dissatisfied with the way things are going in Washington, our state capitals, and our city governments. It appears that neither party, Republican or Democrat, has the wherewithal to solve our problems, let alone the nerve to even address the more important ones. The elephant and the donkey just face off and butt heads...contentious, incapable, all their energies spent on a never-ending struggle with each other. 

Emerging from the plains and towns across our country is a new symbol, the mighty King of the Beasts, to speak for those who have no voice. We encourage Independent Lions to roam through a land of no red states, no blue states, but a United States, where respect for the Constitution, and each other, rules. And where good old fashioned common sense, which would dictate limited government, living within our means, and playing by the rules, ROARS.

In a press release announcing the new website, Chaffee describes the thought behind the effort:

“When it hit me that the number of independents is just about equal to those affiliated with either major party,” Chaffee says, “I realized this growing segment of Americans should have a powerful symbol to represent their point of view. Besides being individually strong, lions are social animals that run with and protect their prides. The lion seemed like the perfect symbol for freethinking defenders of our freedom and constitutional principles.” . . . 

“As a singer-songwriter who is also a concerned citizen, I simply want to give voice to those of us who are caught in the middle, feeling that our leaders and representatives continually fail to represent our interests,” says Chaffee.

Chaffee's signature tune appears to be "Play By the Rules," which became something of a Youtube hit over the last year or so, no doubt for its denunciation of the corruption, deceit and moral decrepitude that is definitive of the Democrat-Republican two-party state and duopoly system of government.